Molli Mitchell is a Senior SEO TV and Film Newsweek Reporter based in London
Her focus is reporting on culture and entertainment
She has covered the world of Film and TV extensively from true-crime dramas to reality TV and blockbuster movies
Molli joined Newsweek in 2021 from the Daily Express
She is a graduate of The University of Glasgow
You can get in touch with Molli by emailing m.mitchell@newsweek.com
either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content
The movie Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, takes place over three days in December 1991 as the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/royal-family" class="multivariate">royal family</a> spends its Christmas at Sandringham
shows a fictionalized Diana grappling with her desire to end her unhappy marriage to Prince Charles (played by Jack Farthing) and with her loss of identity
Filming for Spencer took place across Germany and England in early 2021
The main German locations were the Schlosshotel Kronberg
and Nordkirchen Castle in North Rhine-Westphalia
where scenes were shot in and around Norfolk and London
Newsweek takes a closer look at where Spencer was filmed and set
Nordkirchen Castle in North-Rhine Westphalia was one of the main locations for Spencer
with the 16th-century palace serving as the interior and exterior of Sandringham
The palace is known as the "Versailles of Westphalia" and the film shows Stewart as Diana running around its long halls and the royal family sitting down for their Christmas Lunch
Its breathtaking grounds can be seen in a sequence where Diana, dressed in yellow, takes a stroll. One eagle-eyed fan on <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/twitter" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">Twitter</a> shared images of the cast and crew filming on the Nordkirchen grounds in February 2021
“Preparations for the shooting of the film drama Spencer with Kristen Stewart in the lead role as Lady Diana are in full swing at and at Nordkirchen Castle.” <a href="https://t.co/qGtJVNuuIF">pic.twitter.com/qGtJVNuuIF</a>
The Schlosshotel Kronberg (Castle Hotel Kronberg), near Frankfurt, also doubles as Sandringham in the movie.
According to the website Sceenit, many interior scenes were shot inside the hotel, including Diana marching down the hallway in her white gown, having visions of Anne Boleyn and a montage of the princess dancing around the rooms of Sandringham House.
The Schlosshotel Kronberg has real-life connections to the British royal family. It was built in the 1890s for the dowager Empress Victoria of Germany, who was the eldest daughter of the U.K.'s Queen Victoria. The castle's original name was Schloss Friedrichshof, in honor of the dowager empress' late husband Friedrich III, and she spent most of her time there until her own death in 1901. It is now a luxury hotel.
View this post on Instagram</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPfeivqAq-3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Schlosshotel Kronberg (@schlosshotelkronberg)</a>
At the end of Spencer, Diana decides to leave the royals behind at Sandringham, taking her sons <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/prince-harry" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">Prince Harry</a> (Freddie Spry) and <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/topic/prince-william" data-sys="1" class="multivariate">Prince William</a> (Jack Nielen) with her
where Diana treats herself and the boys to a KFC
which they eat on a bench near the River Thames
The scene was filmed at a drive-in KFC on the Old Kent Road in Southwark
It is not known whether this visit to KFC&mdash;without a royal protection officer in sight&mdash;ever took place
but Diana was known to take her sons out for fast food
Former royal chef Darren McGrady told Marie Claire: "I remember the princess came into the kitchen one day and said
was the filming location for the Christmas Day service in Spencer
in a scene showing Diana watching on as Camilla and Charles laugh together outside the church
Diana catches Camilla's eye but no words are exchanged between them
The 15th-century St Peter and St Paul's doubled as St Mary Magdalene
the church on the Sandringham estate that the royal family traditionally attends on Christmas morning
The royals walk from Sandringham House down to the church
where they are often greeted by members of the public
also serves as the interior of St Mary Magdalene
local newspaper The Eastern Daily Press reported sightings of Stewart and Sally Hawkins
who plays Diana's friend and dresser Maggie
where they have a heartfelt conversation about their relationship and Diana's mental state
the real Diana was a frequent visitor to Hunstanton Beach
which is just five miles from the Sandringham estate
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground
Newsletters in your inbox <a href="/newsletter" title="See all newsletter">See all</a>
ChristofaroAdvertisementIt all started with a disgruntled Facebook post in late September
an expert car mechanic,&nbsp;was fed up with what he sees as&nbsp;hysteria around climate change
which he felt was being exacerbated by the constant protests
His post found many people who agree with him
"We asked ourselves: ‘How many car drivers are we out here
Let's just make a Facebook group,"&nbsp;he said
the group had racked up more than half a million likes
Its name: "Fridays for Hubraum." That is German for "Fridays for Cubic Capacity."
The name is an obvious reference to <a class="internal-link" href="/en/greta-thunberg-the-teenage-eco-activist-who-took-the-world-by-storm/a-50018055">Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement</a>
On November 29,&nbsp;Germans poured into the street for the fourth time this year to join a&nbsp;global strike for climate action
For these mostly young protesters, the government's new package aimed at combating climate change, which envisages&nbsp;more expensive flights, cheaper train tickets and a CO2 traffic charge, is&nbsp;<a class="internal-link" href="/en/does-germanys-weak-climate-plan-reflect-a-polarized-public/a-50681461">too little too late</a>
Read more:&nbsp;<a class="internal-link" href="/en/climate-change-protests-marches-worldwide-ahead-of-un-talks/a-51460018">Marches worldwide ahead of UN talks</a>
Grau's movement brands itself as a rational response to Fridays for Future
He says it is not a climate-change denial&nbsp;group
including a wave of now-expelled far-right members
Fridays for Hubraum also wants to protect the climate
but without forcing Germans to give up their private automobility
That means no <a class="internal-link" href="/en/german-environment-minister-proposes-carbon-tax/a-49493761">taxes on CO2 usage</a>, no&nbsp;<a class="internal-link" href="/en/end-of-the-road-for-polluters/a-5071228">low emission zones</a> in city centers and no <a class="internal-link" href="/en/green-push-for-autobahn-speed-limit-fails-in-bundestag/a-50864901">speed limit</a> on the highways —&nbsp;&nbsp;although traffic causes almost 21% of all CO2 emissions in Germany
Why not focus on improving technologies that make cars more sustainable instead
Or work harder to target those sectors&nbsp;with higher CO2 emissions
Visiting Grau's car workshop&nbsp;in Nordkirchen
a small municipality in western&nbsp;Germany
it becomes clear why cars are so important to him
Grau's "Beast Factory” is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles)&nbsp;from the closest train station
But the only direct bus connection is a "Bürgerbus," a minibus&nbsp;citizens have organized to make up for the gaps in public transport
Volunteer drivers serve the route every two hours
Whether Fridays for Hubraum supporters want to protect their cars out of pure necessity or because they want to maintain a hobby is up for debate
But Grau says his issue with climate protesters is that they single out car drivers&nbsp;when many Germans do not have an alternative to get to work or go to the supermarket
Read more:&nbsp;<a class="internal-link" href="/en/tomorrows-transportation-will-be-electric-and-shared/a-47737190">Tomorrow's transportation will be electric and shared</a>
as was planned in the latest government climate package
would make little difference&nbsp;and hurt only the most vulnerable
"The people who drive cars as a hobby won't be bothered at all by the three&nbsp;extra cents they have to pay per liter
The low earners are the ones who will feel it,” he said
Read more:&nbsp;<a class="internal-link" href="/en/climate-policy-german-advisers-recommend-co2-pricing-as-central-instrument/a-49565435">German advisers recommend CO2 pricing as 'central instrument'</a>
The main suggestion made by Grau's group is that&nbsp;alternative fuels like hydrogen fuel or biodiesel should be adopted
They are more climate-friendly and work in combustion engines
only 5% of fuel consumers use alternative sources
Critics blame the government for prioritizing electric cars to the expense of other options
Hydrogen hits the roadTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href="https://videojs.com/html5-video-support/" target="_blank">supports HTML5 video</a>
These are ideas the 563,000-plus members of&nbsp; Future for Hubraum discuss only in their private Facebook group and with the media
Grau is thinking of making the jump from Facebook to the streets
The administrators started recruiting organizers in each state to plan meetings —&nbsp;and maybe more
we will have to think about doing protests,” he said
The car enthusiasts' movement currently has more than five times the followers that the German Fridays for Future page has
But only the turnout at a demonstration would show how much&nbsp;of a competitor they actually are for&nbsp;Greta Thunberg
<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/newsletter-registration/a-15718229" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the&nbsp;day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to&nbsp;receive it directly here.</a>
Range Rover was kind enough to invite us to a press drive of their new Range Rover SVAutobiography flagship model
So we headed to Castle Hohenkammern in Bavaria to take it for a spin
Range Rover positions themselves as a high quality car manufacturer for off-road vehicles which in this case actually works off-road
After a decent redesign of the car and many structural changes like the all aluminum monocoque chassis- which by the way made the car 420 kg lighter in total than it’s predecessor
the SVAutobiography was born by it’s newly created department of Special Vehicles Operations
The car we drove was equipped with the magnificent all aluminum 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine which puts 550 horsepower to the wheels and produces 680nm of torque
The same engine block is also used for the Range Rover Sport SVR
Top speed is limited to 250 km/h and 0-100 is reached after 5.4 seconds
However &#8211; sitting inside you barely get the feeling of being that fast due to the amount of luxury
high quality leather and their good work to keep most of the outside noises actually outside
The only noises that will get inside are the lovely exhaust crackles which everyone seems to demand when buying a car nowadays
The paddles behind the steering wheel grant direct access to the mighty ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox which changes gears very fast
Left in automatic the car seems to immediately respond to your desires on the road
The SVAutobiography is a big step forward in terms of quality and ride comfort
but see for yourself in our video review above
and website in this browser for the next time I comment
But the fact that the other star members of the cast
have taken roles as Diana’s dresser and royal fixer Major Alistair Gregory
rather than other members of the royal family
is proof that the timescale is not the only thing that makes Spencer different from previous tellings
the house has a long history of rebuilding
changing shape from Elizabethan to Georgian times and almost completely transformed in the Victorian era
The location is doubly significant for Spencer, since one of Sandringham’s adjoining residences, Park House, was the birthplace of Diana when rented to the Spencer family in the 1960s. The weight of this clearly hung heavy on the production, since Spencer uses not one but three different palaces to represent Sandringham on screen, heading to <a href="https://www.cntraveller.com/article/germany-karolina-rosina-locals-guide">Germany</a> to find sufficient grandeur
as well as visiting the real Norfolk countryside
Though still owned by Victoria’s descendants, led by Heinrich the Prince and Landgrave of Hesse, the castle has operated as a five-star <a href="https://www.cntraveller.com/article/best-hotels-in-the-world-2021">hotel</a> since the early 1950s
The fixtures and fittings are much as she would have recognised them
despite a 2015 redesign by Nina Campbell and the addition of a golf course supposedly designed by President Eisenhower in the 1960s
Kronberg was chiefly used as an interior location – look out in particular for the black and white tiling of the main hallway
Publicly owned since 1959, the castle is home to the University of Applied Sciences of Finances (aka tax inspection), though its <a href="https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/unesco-world-heritage-sites">UNESCO</a> protection means it is still very much a palace. Consequently, it’s open to the public and houses a <a href="https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/most-beautiful-restaurants-in-the-world">restaurant</a>
as well as renting out its chapel as a wedding venue
including the Oranienburg “pleasure garden”
This area is seen in the film when Diana is walking on her own while contemplating her future
the production also visited the town of Dülmen
Here they shot in the town’s Naturwildpark
A 17th-century manor rebuilt in the late 19th century and then again in the early 20th
when a tower and rococo elements were added
converted first into a hotel in the 1930s and then left unused for some decades
it is rented out for private events and enjoys a second life as a film location
featuring in Tom Hanks movie Bridge of Spies and a favoured venue for video shoots by German bands from Rammstein to Nightwish
Filming for Spencer took place in its still impressive interior
Lying just a few miles from Sandringham on the county’s north coast
it comes with the rare possibility that Diana may well have sat in the same spot that filming took place
Spencer is released in cinemas on 5 November 2021
Keep scrolling for some sneak-peek images from the film
only this time wearing a tan gingham wrap coat at Schloss Nordkirchen
so distinct and particular." She added: "I'm working on it now and already have my dialect coach
I've gotten through two and a half biographies
and I'm finishing all the material before I actually go make the movie
It's one of the saddest stories to exist ever
and I don't want to just play Diana — I want to know her implicitly
I haven't been this excited about playing a part
Spencer will center on one significant moment in Diana's life
when she finally decided to leave Prince Charles while spending Christmas with the British royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk
The Stavros Niarchos Park in Athens was presented with the first prize for innovative design by European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN) at the Schloss Nordkirchen
In its citation for the Stavros Niarchos Park
whose grounds include the Greek National Opera and National Library (part of the garden extends over the library)
"The park restores connections between the city and the sea and has quickly been accepted as a green space for the enjoyment by Athenians and visitors
used many indigenous Mediterranean plants to give the sense of being in a Greek landscape
From the Mediterranean Garden curving landscaped pathways wend their way up a gentle grade to a summit 32 m high
This forms the green roof of the opera and library
one of the largest in Europe and significantly reducing air conditioning requirements
The summit offers spectacular views of the sea
and the cultural and educational park below."
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: John Karakatsanis License: CC-BY-SA 
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51634-nafplio-at-the-epicenter-of-world-yachting-with-the-10th-mediterranean-yacht-show.html">Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51631-samaria-gorge-%E2%80%9Cwar-zone%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cothers-decide-we-pay-the-price%E2%80%9D.html">Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price”</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51635-argosaronic-islands-need-for-a-long-term-strategy-and-modern-infrastructure.html">Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51636-fedhatta-tourism-bridges-between-greece-and-the-chinese-province-of-guizhou.html">FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51633-top-distinctions-for-greece-and-santorini-at-the-american-leisure-lifestyle-awards-2025.html">Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51637-hotrec-supporting-smes-in-european-hospitality.html">HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51640-tourism-promoting-crete-in-the-arabian-gulf.html">Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51639-aegean-and-emirates-expand-their-partnership.html">Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51638-delta-athens-is-in-5th-place-in-american-searches-for-2025.html">Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025</a>
<a href="transport/51641-promotion-of-preveza-on-the-metro-and-tram-in-athens.html">Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51632-tripadvisor-awards-2025-elafonisi-beach-world-s-best-beach-9th-in-crete-sani-beach-award.html">TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World&#039;s Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51643-12th-bajagreece-motorsports-competition-in-western-macedonia.html">12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51642-crete-also-invests-in-cycling-tourism-13th-pediadas-tour.html">Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51644-competitions-with-a-summer-and-autumn-backdrop-attica-runs-at-the-pace-of-sports.html">Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51628-atm-25-tourism-the-fight-against-food-waste-at-the-forefront-of-sustainable-development.html">ATM&#039;25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51629-easyjet-holidays-fam-trips-to-santorini-skiathos-and-rhodes.html">easyJet holidays | Fam trips to Santorini, Skiathos and Rhodes</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51630-chania-the-next-actions-of-the-%E2%80%9Ctourism-partnership%E2%80%9D.html">Chania: The next actions of the “Tourism Partnership”</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51626-navarino-challenge-returns-on-may-9-11-2025.html">Navarino Challenge returns on May 9-11, 2025</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51645-cruise-takeoff-in-chania-%E2%80%93-record-arrivals-in-the-first-quarter-of-2025.html">Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51627-three-greek-beaches-among-the-world%E2%80%99s-50-best-%E2%80%93-triumph-for-the-ionian.html">Three Greek beaches among the world’s 50 best – Triumph for the Ionian</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51617-the-%E2%80%9Ctyphoon%E2%80%9D-that-saves-the-greek-coasts-from-garbage.html">The “Typhoon” that saves the Greek coasts from garbage</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51616-eot-at-the-%E2%80%9Carabian-travel-market%E2%80%9D-%7C-interest-from-gulf-countries-india-and-australia.html">EOT at the “Arabian Travel Market” | Interest from Gulf countries, India, and Australia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51613-cert-to-manage-vasilitsa-ski-resort-%E2%80%93-investment-of-over-20-million-euros.html">CERT to manage Vasilitsa Ski Resort – Investment of over 20 million euros</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51611-is-american-tourism-in-europe-%E2%80%9Cslowing-down%E2%80%9D-what-do-professionals-see-for-2025-and-2026.html">Is American tourism in Europe “slowing down”? What do professionals see for 2025 and 2026</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51625-this-is-athens-partners-the-7-partners-renew-their-collaboration-the-joint-actions.html">This is Athens &amp; Partners | The 7 partners renew their collaboration - the joint actions</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51614-fedhatta-dynamic-presence-of-greek-travel-agencies-at-the-international-dubai-exhibition-atm-2025.html">FedHATTA: Dynamic presence of Greek travel agencies at the international Dubai exhibition ATM 2025</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51615-ryanair-announces-new-offer-for-prime-members-on-june-flights.html">Ryanair announces new offer for Prime members on June flights</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/tour-operators-travel-agents/51619-thomas-ellerbeck-%7C-%E2%80%9Crhodes-can-become-a-model-of-sustainable-tourism-internationally%E2%80%9D.html">Thomas Ellerbeck | “Rhodes can become a model of sustainable tourism internationally”</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51618-the-times-the-perfect-time-to-experience-the-authentic-side-of-santorini.html">The Times | The perfect time to experience the authentic side of Santorini</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51621-chania-the-alternative-tourism-festival-returns-to-the-venetian-port.html">Chania: The Alternative Tourism Festival returns to the Venetian Port</a>
<a href="tornos/trends/51620-angela-gerekou-tourism-is-a-force-for-good-and-greece-can-play-a-leading-role.html">Angela Gerekou: &quot;Tourism is a force for good and Greece can play a leading role&quot;</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51623-new-flights-to-greece-in-2025-from-4-airlines.html">New flights to Greece in 2025 from 4 airlines</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51622-crete-welcomes-reveil-12-%E2%80%93-festival-of-sounds-and-ecology.html">Crete welcomes Reveil 12 – Festival of Sounds and Ecology</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51612-greek-tourism-3rd-quarter-97-of-arrivals-in-athens-and-thessaloniki.html">Greek tourism - 3rd quarter | 97% of arrivals in Athens and Thessaloniki</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51624-modernization-aid-for-the-marinas-of-symi-and-messolonghi.html">Modernization aid for the marinas of Symi and Messolonghi</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51598-hotrec-assembly-focus-on-challenges-and-reforms-in-european-tourism.html">HOTREC Assembly: Focus on challenges and reforms in European tourism</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51599-aegean-2025-passenger-growth-and-fleet-expansion-with-an-eye-on-the-international-market.html">AEGEAN 2025: Passenger growth and fleet expansion with an eye on the international market</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51600-fedhatta-cooperation-with-shaanxi-province-china.html">FedHATTA Cooperation with Shaanxi Province, China</a>
<a href="tornos/people/51602-greek-academic-in-finalists-of-european-sustainable-energy-awards-2025.html">Greek academic in finalists of European Sustainable Energy Awards 2025</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51601-thessaloniki-museums-join-forces-to-promote-the-city.html">Thessaloniki museums join forces to promote the city</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51603-gnto-introduces-%E2%80%9Csustainable-greece%E2%80%9D-to-british-agents.html">GNTO introduces “Sustainable Greece” to British Agents</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51607-strategic-meeting-for-cruises-in-santorini.html">Strategic meeting for cruises in Santorini</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51606-a-message-of-friendship-and-cooperation-at-the-friendly-greek-turkish-football-match-in-chios.html">A message of friendship and cooperation at the friendly Greek-Turkish football match in Chios</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51605-municipality-of-xiromero-diving-tourism-request-for-sinking-of-a-decommissioned-warship.html">Municipality of Xiromero | Diving tourism: Request for sinking of a decommissioned warship</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51604-the-first-la-quinta-by-wyndham-in-batumi-georgia.html">The first La Quinta by Wyndham in Batumi, Georgia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51593-double-racing-event-in-megalopolis-on-may-11-festival-enduro-and-theater-run-2025.html">Double racing event in Megalopolis on May 11: Festival Enduro and Theater Run 2025</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51608-explora-journeys-start-of-the-summer-season-with-the-luxurious-explora-i-from-piraeus.html">Explora Journeys: Start of the summer season with the luxurious EXPLORA I from Piraeus</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51610-strong-start-in-2025-for-aegean-and-sky-express.html">Strong start in 2025 for Aegean and SKY Express</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51609-xanthi-tastes-a-gastronomy-festival-with-a-cultural-flavor.html">Xanthi Tastes: A Gastronomy Festival with a Cultural Flavor</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51597-rhodes-these-are-the-five-star-hotels-with-the-highest-revenue-%E2%80%93-which-ones-%E2%80%9Cfill-up%E2%80%9D-first.html">Rhodes: These are the five-star hotels with the highest revenue – Which ones “fill up” first</a>
<a href="greek-news/economy/51596-greek-tourism-webhotelier-the-winners-and-losers-in-online-bookings-for-2025.html">Greek Tourism/Webhotelier: The Winners and Losers in Online Bookings for 2025</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51590-gnto-promotion-of-santorini-in-target-markets.html">GNTO | Promotion of Santorini in target markets</a>
<a href="world-news/51586-unprecedented-blackout-in-spain-portugal-france.html">Unprecedented blackout in Spain, Portugal, France</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51588-greece-can-play-a-leading-role-in-the-global-sports-tourism-scene.html">Greece can play a leading role in the global sports tourism scene</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51587-rhodes-event-for-the-protection-of-biodiversity.html">Rhodes | Event for the protection of biodiversity</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/real-estate/51589-attica-the-%E2%80%A6caribbean-of-the-germans.html">Attica, the …Caribbean of the Germans</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51591-agios-nikolaos-cruise-season-kicks-off-with-arrival-of-luxury-silver-spirit.html">Agios Nikolaos | Cruise season kicks off with arrival of luxury Silver Spirit</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51592-operational-plan-%E2%80%9Ccretan-food-culture-2026-2030%E2%80%9D.html">Operational Plan: “Cretan Food Culture 2026-2030”</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51594-destination-management-and-promotion-organization-in-thessaloniki.html">Destination Management and Promotion Organization in Thessaloniki</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51595-kefalonia-the-authentic-character-of-the-island-through-the-%E2%80%9Ctravel-reimagined%E2%80%9D-project.html">Kefalonia: The authentic character of the island through the “Travel Reimagined” project</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51585-hoteliers-vs-booking-com-the-european-uprising-has-begun.html">Hoteliers vs. Booking.com: The European uprising has begun</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51581-tourism-greece-4th-choice-for-europeans-holidays-in-2025-what-the-etc-survey-shows.html">Tourism | Greece 4th choice for Europeans&#039; holidays in 2025 - what the ETC survey shows</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51582-new-high-standard-heated-swimming-pool-in-chania-aimed-at-sports-tourism.html">New high-standard heated swimming pool in Chania, aimed at sports tourism</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51584-greeks-traveled-a-lot-in-2024-%E2%80%93-where-they-went-how-much-they-spent.html">Greeks Traveled (A Lot!) in 2024 – Where They Went, How Much They Spent</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51583-greek-american-dean-spanos-brings-the-nfl-to-greece-%E2%80%93-opportunities-for-promotion-in-the-usa.html">Greek-American Dean Spanos brings the NFL to Greece – Opportunities for promotion in the USA</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51569-lesvos-the-season-begins-with-birdwatching-tourists.html">Lesvos: The season begins with birdwatching tourists</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51579-msc-cruises-strengthens-its-presence-in-greece-with-6-cruise-ships.html">MSC Cruises: Strengthens its presence in Greece with 6 cruise ships</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51571-new-luxury-arrival-in-crete-jw-marriott-crete-resort-spa-opens-on-june-2.html">New Luxury Arrival in Crete | JW Marriott Crete Resort &amp; Spa Opens on June 2</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51572-peloponnese-trails-inaugurated-today-new-network-of-trails-for-sustainable-tourism.html">&quot;Peloponnese Trails&quot; inaugurated today: New network of trails for sustainable tourism</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51580-knossos-125-years-since-the-excavations-of-arthur-evans.html">Knossos: 125 years since the excavations of Arthur Evans</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51570-the-spanish-tv-show-%E2%80%9Cviajeros-cuatro%E2%80%9D-in-corfu.html">The Spanish TV show “Viajeros Cuatro” in Corfu</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51574-wyndham-soliteight-40-super-8-hotels-in-spain-and-portugal.html">Wyndham - Soliteight | 40 Super 8 hotels in Spain and Portugal</a>
<a href="greek-news/51573-airbnb-final-price-now-displayed-in-accommodation-searches.html">Airbnb: Final price now displayed in accommodation searches</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/new-investments/51568-investments-in-the-beaches-of-the-attica-riviera.html">Investments in the beaches of the Attica Riviera</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51575-the-municipality-of-chania-at-the-%E2%80%9Cfrom-crete-to-side%E2%80%9D-festival-in-turkey.html">The Municipality of Chania at the “From Crete to Side” Festival in Turkey</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51578-region-of-central-macedonia-tourism-promotion-activities-in-poland-and-the-middle-east.html">Region of Central Macedonia: Tourism Promotion Activities in Poland and the Middle East</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51577-region-of-crete-connecting-minoan-palatial-centers-with-archaeological-sites.html">Region of Crete | Connecting Minoan Palatial Centers with Archaeological Sites</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51576-biodiversity-protection-plan-is-in-full-swing-in-elafonisi.html">Biodiversity protection plan is in full swing in Elafonisi</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51561-record-participation-in-the-athena-international-olive-oil-competition-chania-8-10-may.html">Record participation in the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition | Chania 8 - 10 May</a>
<a href="tornos/people/51562-communities-at-the-heart-of-tourism-development.html">Communities at the heart of tourism development</a>
<a href="greek-news/51560-booking-com-no-to-limiting-tourists-yes-to-infrastructure-investments.html">Booking.com | No to limiting tourists, yes to infrastructure investments</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51563-thessaloniki%E2%80%99s-dynamic-presence-at-the-world-tourism-summit-in-hong-kong.html">Thessaloniki’s dynamic presence at the World Tourism Summit in Hong Kong</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51565-easyjet-summer-2026-sales-open.html">easyJet | Summer 2026 sales open</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51564-cruise-turkey-doubles-its-share-new-opportunities-for-greek-ports.html">Cruise | Turkey doubles its share, new opportunities for Greek ports</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51567-aid-for-the-upgrade-of-the-tourist-shelter-of-astakos-and-the-marina-of-alimos.html">Aid for the upgrade of the tourist shelter of Astakos and the Marina of Alimos</a>
<a href="tornos/trends/51566-preparing-the-settlement-of-kionia-for-the-tourist-season-an-example-to-follow.html">Preparing the settlement of Kionia for the tourist season: An example to follow</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51546-the-action-of-the-region-of-crete-let-s-go-for-greens-concludes-this-weekend.html">The action of the region of Crete &quot;Let&#039;s go for... Greens&quot; concludes this weekend</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51547-%E2%80%9Cart-is-our-language%E2%80%9D-campaign-for-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-athens-epidaurus-festival.html">“Art is our Language”: Campaign for the 70th Anniversary of the Athens Epidaurus Festival</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51545-tourism-%7C-nostalgia-drives-brits%E2%80%99-travel-choices.html">Tourism | Nostalgia drives Brits’ travel choices</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/tour-operators-travel-agents/51548-eot-china-%7C-b2b-meetings-with-chengdu-s-tos-flights-to-athens-in-june.html">ΕΟΤ China | B2B meetings with Chengdu&#039;s t.os - Flights to Athens in June</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51549-state-of-the-art-conference-center-at-theartemis-palace-hotel-in-rethymno.html">State-of-the-art conference center at Theartemis Palace Hotel in Rethymno</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51550-zagori-collaboration-with-impact-hub-athens-for-sustainable-tourism-and-innovation.html">Zagori: Collaboration with Impact Hub Athens for sustainable tourism and innovation</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51556-cooperation-memorandum-between-development-athens-and-piraeus-university-on-tourism.html">Cooperation Memorandum between Development Athens and Piraeus University on Tourism</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51552-kos-new-advertising-campaigns-with-jet2-and-national-geographic-traveller-uk.html">Kos: New advertising campaigns with Jet2 and National Geographic Traveller UK</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51551-five-cruise-ships-in-souda-by-saturday.html">Five cruise ships in Souda by Saturday</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51554-imbros-trail-run-hike-2025-a-sporting-tribute-to-the-history-of-sfakia.html">Imbros Trail Run &amp; Hike 2025: A sporting tribute to the History of Sfakia</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51553-cultural-days-and-sea-routes-in-piraeus.html">Cultural Days and Sea Routes in Piraeus</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51555-religious-tourism-the-university-of-palermo-comes-to-panagia-nafpaktiotissa.html">Religious Tourism | The University of Palermo comes to Panagia Nafpaktiotissa</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51557-audio-walk-in-the-sitia-geopark-a-different-exploration-experience-in-crete.html">Audio Walk in the Sitia Geopark: A Different Exploration Experience in Crete</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51558-aegean-%E2%80%9Ctakes-off%E2%80%9D-larnaca-with-a-new-direct-flight-to-rome.html">AEGEAN “takes off” Larnaca with a new direct flight to Rome</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51636-fedhatta-tourism-bridges-between-greece-and-the-chinese-province-of-guizhou.html">FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51633-top-distinctions-for-greece-and-santorini-at-the-american-leisure-lifestyle-awards-2025.html">Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51634-nafplio-at-the-epicenter-of-world-yachting-with-the-10th-mediterranean-yacht-show.html">Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51640-tourism-promoting-crete-in-the-arabian-gulf.html">Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51639-aegean-and-emirates-expand-their-partnership.html">Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51637-hotrec-supporting-smes-in-european-hospitality.html">HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51631-samaria-gorge-%E2%80%9Cwar-zone%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cothers-decide-we-pay-the-price%E2%80%9D.html">Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51638-delta-athens-is-in-5th-place-in-american-searches-for-2025.html">Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51635-argosaronic-islands-need-for-a-long-term-strategy-and-modern-infrastructure.html">Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51632-tripadvisor-awards-2025-elafonisi-beach-world-s-best-beach-9th-in-crete-sani-beach-award.html">TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World&#039;s Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51628-atm-25-tourism-the-fight-against-food-waste-at-the-forefront-of-sustainable-development.html">ATM&#039;25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development </a>
<a href="transport/51641-promotion-of-preveza-on-the-metro-and-tram-in-athens.html">Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51642-crete-also-invests-in-cycling-tourism-13th-pediadas-tour.html">Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51644-competitions-with-a-summer-and-autumn-backdrop-attica-runs-at-the-pace-of-sports.html">Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51643-12th-bajagreece-motorsports-competition-in-western-macedonia.html">12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/50653-the-20-most-impressive-luxury-hotel-arrivals-in-greece-in-2025.html">The 20 &quot;loudest&quot; luxury hotel arrivals in Greece in 2025 </a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51645-cruise-takeoff-in-chania-%E2%80%93-record-arrivals-in-the-first-quarter-of-2025.html">Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51623-new-flights-to-greece-in-2025-from-4-airlines.html">New flights to Greece in 2025 from 4 airlines </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51437-athens-municipality-festival-2025-the-city-s-biggest-celebration-with-more-than-200-events.html">Athens Municipality Festival 2025 | The city&#039;s biggest celebration, with more than 200 events </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51629-easyjet-holidays-fam-trips-to-santorini-skiathos-and-rhodes.html">easyJet holidays | Fam trips to Santorini, Skiathos and Rhodes </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50697-what-to-expect-at-this-year%E2%80%99s-itb-berlin-exhibition-from-march-4-6.html">What to expect at this year’s ITB Berlin Exhibition from March 4-6 </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50661-greece-s-permanent-delegation-to-unesco-organizing-concert-on-january-16.html">Greece&#039;s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO organizing concert on January 16 </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50684-pm-at-1st-greece-saudi-arabia-high-level-strategic-cooperation-council-on-monday.html">PM at 1st Greece-Saudi Arabia High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council on Monday </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51396-north-macedonia-increase-in-foreign-tourists-in-2024.html">North Macedonia: Increase in foreign tourists in 2024 </a>
<a href="greek-news/economy/51416-greek-tourism-2024-record-performance-at-a-glance.html">Greek Tourism 2024: Record Performance at a Glance </a>
He led a full life Helmut Hendrichs Three months on since his demise it is still with a very heavy heart that I pen these words about my dear Papa
passed away peacefully on April 15 with my mother beside him
Three months on since his demise it is still with a very heavy heart that I pen these words about my dear Papa
Germany as the only child to his mother Paula and father Dr.Franz Hendrichs
a former mayor of Selm Bork who also served in the German army in WW1
Following his higher studies in Muenster University
he started his early career in journalism,writing for the Westfaelischen Nachrichten newspaper
He was an explorer at heart and would fondly reminisce tales of his travels and road trip from Germany to Afghanistan in a caravan
the famous Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl
it was this thirst for exploring and travel that brought him to Sri Lanka in 1980
what made him make Sri Lanka his home was love
His love for the country and the love of his life – my mother Iresha Hendrichs (nee Jayawardena)
he was given her hand in marriage which they celebrated with a beautiful wedding at the Mount Lavinia Hotel
Together they started their life in their plantation in Matugama.With his new experiences on the plantation
fluent Sinhala language skills and passion for reading
He was accepted into the planting community and was a regular at the events of the old Tebuwana planters club
To his staff he was their ‘Sudhu Mahathaya’ who they respected and loved
He was friendly and could strike up a conversation with anyone
He was able to talk about anything with anyone as his general knowledge was incredible fuelled by his love of reading
We used to joke that he was like a walking encyclopaedia
he had a few friends whom he held very close to his heart
He would call them frequently and thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent with them
Papa was known to be very direct and honest
specially being spoilt by the excellent dishes made by the chefs at his self-acclaimed ‘second home’ the Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya
Spending a lot of time in Nuwara Eliya he was usually found sitting by the fireplace at the Hill Club or enjoying the views of the green with a tea in hand at the Golf Club
Here he also indulged in his passion for horses
and was respected within the horse racing community as a judge of the Royal Turf Club
Papa was a keen member of the German charity organisation ‘Die Hilfebrueke’ and as a part of it he was a familiar face at the International Christmas Bazaar every year
he spent most of his time in the Colombo Swimming Club
he was an honest partner to my Ammi and loved her very deeply
he gave me everything I could have ever asked for
His flow of advice and knowledge was constant
but I knew that this was with the best intentions and unconditional love
As a father-in-law he trusted my husband Jehan to make the right decisions and look after his precious family
he was proud of his grandchildren and enjoyed their company
As Papa was an only child living in his adopted country Sri Lanka
 He was very proud of being part of the Jayawardena family
We miss him very much but take comfort in the fact that he led a life full of enjoyment
We spent a lot of the last 12 months together as a family and those memories will be cherished forever
She was not just a music teacher but second  mother and mentor to students and staff
A legendary teacher of music and the arts Joy Ferdinando was called to her Maker on June 27
She had a record 68 years of teaching music starting from small beginnings
Joy came from a Moratuwa family that had music in their blood
Her two sisters were also music teachers but it was Joy who strode forward to start her own institute – the International Institute of Music
There was no turning back and soon she had experienced teachers and examiners from across the country including the North and East backing her with students sitting for local and foreign exams
Joy was the Sri Lanka representative of IILCM- the London College of Music Examinations – University of West London and was later made a Fellow of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama
She was responsible for starting the ever popular Festivals for Music
Speech and Drama which gave an opportunity for local students of all ages to display their talents
Her contacts and relationships with London enabled her to get down foreign adjudicators to judge the festivals and every year saw the standards grow by leaps and bounds
Joy was a hardworking lady who never took ‘no’ for an answer and her support team always worked hard to achieve the best results
Though she seemed tough on the exterior she had a heart of gold  and was always on hand to help her sudents and staff when requested
On numerous occasions she permitted students to sit for exams and take part in festivals even though they had not paid their fees
She often said ‘I cannot deprive these children of showcasing their talents’
Every year Joy took her institute staff on an overseas holiday to show her appreciation to them for a job well done
She was like a second mother and mentor to them
Joy loved overseas travel and had a small group of friends who went on many a trip with her
She often visited the UK to keep abreast of  the work of the London School of Music
The multitude of tributes paid to her is evidence of the magnitude of her loss
parents and children came in their numbers to pay their last respects to her at her daughter’s home where her remains lay surrounded by flowers and music
The mission she started with her institute will I am sure
be carried on by her staff and management for the benefit of future generations
My family and I have known Aunty Joy for more than 28 years and we were privileged to have known such a charming lady
She was a shining light in  the community of the Capital District of New York
Fazana Saleem-Ismail passed away at the age of 47
after a brief but courageous battle with stomach cancer
She was a Research Scientist at the Professional Development Program of the Research Foundation of the State University of New York (NY)
She was also the Founder of Jazzy Sun Birthdays
a volunteer project that provides personalized birthday parties for children living in homeless shelters throughout the Capital Region of New York
Fazana spent most of her primary school years in the US save for two extended stays in Sri Lanka as a youth during which she attended Ladies’ College
Colombo and Wycherley International School
She held a BA in Economics from Bryn Mawr College (PA) and received her Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University (DC) where she focused on Family and Children’s Issues and Food and Nutrition Policy
Fazana served as President of the International Students’ Association and the Muslim Students’ Association
She was the President of the Georgetown Public Policy Student Association and received an Outstanding Student Service Award
Fazana conducted social science research at the U.S
Mathematica Policy Research (NJ) and the Institute for Health Policy (Sri Lanka)
She served as a Senior Program Officer and Director of the Earned Income Tax Credit Program at the Robin Hood Foundation (NY) and received a Community Capacity Builders Award from the Neighborhood Technical Assistance Clinic in recognition of her work
She and her family moved to Sri Lanka to assist with tsunami-rebuilding efforts as volunteers with the Lanka Relief and Development Foundation (Sri Lanka) in 2005 and remained there until 2007
Since founding Jazzy Sun Birthdays in 2011
Fazana celebrated the birthdays of more than 300 children with the help of over 400 volunteers
She was proud that not only does the project make homeless children feel like kings and queens for a day but it brings together people of different racial
religious and socio-economic backgrounds and helps young children who volunteer develop a working understanding and awareness of the issue of poverty
Canada and Sri Lanka wrote to Fazana seeking her advice on replicating her project in their countries
Fazana was also actively involved in anti-Islamophobia efforts
 She was also instrumental in organizing and participating in “Ask a Muslim” events during which individuals were encouraged to ask questions of Muslims in an effort to dispel stereotypes and build bridges
She was a committee chair of the Capital District Coalition Against Islamophobia and was a founding member of the Albany chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam/Shalom
Fazana was a highly-respected member of the community of the Capital District of New York and was featured in local newspapers
magazines and TV news stories while she received numerous awards for her volunteer work
One organization created a special “Dreamer Award” for Fazana in 2014 stating that
“She has single-handedly and in a very unique way made a significant impact on her community.” In 2015
Fazana was selected as a medalist for the prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service
Fazana Saleem-Ismail is survived by her husband
Jiffry; daughter Sanari; son Jaazib; parents
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
Major General Ananda Sri Sisira Kumara Hamangoda
smart and efficient army officer who made the supreme sacrifice 24 years ago
Brigade Commander of the 51-2 Brigade based in Jaffna
when an LTTE female suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to her waist as the motorcade he was in stopped at Stanley Road in Jaffna town
Ananda excelled in many spheres as a sportsman
Hailed as a role model for the school by his teachers and peers
Ananda captained the school’s badminton team in 1971 and won the Gold Medal for overall best performance in the school that year
He started his initial army training as a member of Maliyadeva’s Junior Cadet Platoon which won the All Island Junior Cadet Championship continuously for several years from 1965
Later he graduated to the Senior Cadet Platoon ending up as the Sergeant
he enlisted to the Sri Lanka Army (Regular Force) as cadet officer in 1973 and received his commission later on as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery
the promotions were many: Second Lieutenant Hamangoda became Lieutenant in 1976
Colonel in 1994 and finally Brigadier on November 15
He followed several advanced courses at some of the finest military academies in the world in Wellington
He served as the commanding officer of the 6th Field Regiment
Sri Lanka Artillery from October 1992 to March 1994 and as commanding officer of 51-2 Brigade in Jaffna in 1995
He was actively involved with operations ‘Vadamarachchi’
‘Idiri Pimma’ and ‘Riviresa’ and received several medals of gallantry
the ‘Vadamarachchi Medal’ and the ‘Riviresa Medal’
he on his own initiative raised a new Field Battery in the newly founded 6th Regiment of Sri Lanka Artillery and became its first Battery-Commander
Afterwards he was also appointed the first Second in Command in the newly raised 7th Light Artillery Regiment in November 1988
in view of his excellent and extensive knowledge on artillery and wide experience in the battlefield
His dedication towards the Artillery Regiment was commendable; he rendered a yeoman service to the Regiment with his knowledge and experience
volleyball as well as in boxing contributed to the advancement of sports activities in the Army
Colombo and they had two daughters Buwani and Maheshni and one son Dulshan
a final year Medical Student of Sri Jayawardanepura Medical Faculty was murdered quite unexpectedly on July 6
in front of my eyes at our residence in Colpetty
It is my destiny to live on with this sorrow
Just after Niroshan’s perishable body was cremated there was a shower of rain that fell in that area (after a long spell of drought in July) for a few minutes as if the Gods above were shedding tears of sorrow and blessings
He was an ardent devotee of Swami Sri Sathya Sai Baba
eyes that twinkled and lasting sweetness in his words
As far as I am aware no one ever noticed any slightest trace of anger
Even though I really miss my son I have some consolation to note that his comrades
take great delight in recounting his goodness and his sterling virtues
Niroshan sacrificed his life for the sake of saving his father
Maybe he would have thought at that moment&#8212;” Is there any act of gratitude nobler than dedicating this body which was received from my father to save his life alone”and thus he offered it with spiritual bliss
By this act of sacrifice he proved to the world that “service of father is the son’s eternal duty”
I do not know what merit in my previous life secured you as my son
But now your loss has given me longlasting pain and agony
I try with difficulty to follow Swami’ s words to ‘treat joy and grief with equanimity’
On the first anniversary of his passing-July 15 A well-lived life&#8230; A gift to celebrate A collection of memories and moments Of relationships nurtured Kind deeds done Of lives that were touched A legacy of love
  					<a href="http://www.sundaytimes.lk/200712/" title="Times Online &#8211; Daily Online Edition of The Sunday Times Sri Lanka" rel="home">Times Online &#8211; Daily Online Edition of The Sunday Times Sri Lanka</a>